Parliamentary questions

Michael Russell

1,207 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Qualifications Authority's (SQA) budgeted expenditure in the current financial year is estimated at £41.5 million. The SQA's budget for future years is currently under discussion.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fee income the Scottish Qualifications Authority has received in respect of the Higher Still programme (a) in total, (b) in each local authority area and (c) on average (i) per subject and (ii) per candidate.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and information about fee income is not held centrally. However, I have asked the Chair to write to you.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Higher Still programme has cost the Scottish Qualifications Authority in each year since the programme began (a) in total, (b) per candidate, (c) per subject and (d) per candidate in each subject area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the information requested is not held centrally. However, I have asked the Chair of the SQA to write to you.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to Planning Advice Notice No. 36, what its definition is of "countryside" and what si'e a community must be in order to meet the definition of "rural village".

Answer · Iain Gray: There are no definitions provided in Planning Advice Note 36: Siting and Design of New Housing in the Countryside of "countryside" or what size a community must be to be considered a "rural village". This allows our advice to be interpreted to suit loc…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in partnership with East Lothian Council to consider and act on any issues relating to the promotion of road safety arising from the development of rural villages for commuter housing.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Outwith the trunk road network, local roads authorities are responsible for all aspects of road safety and traffic management on local roads in their areas. In the first instance, it is for East Lothian Council to consider the need for particular measures to …

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recent comments by East Lothian Council's Planning Committee that the guidelines in Designing Places: A Policy Statement for Scotland were not prescriptive enough to be a material consideration in planning issues.

Answer · Iain Gray: I am not aware that East Lothian Council Planning Committee have made any comments on Designing Places: A Policy Statement for Scotland. I understand, however, that a report by planning officials to the Planning Committee made reference to the status o…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give any new guidance to local authorities on planning issues arising from housing developments in rural villages.

Answer · Iain Gray: National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Planning and Housing is currently under review. A copy of the consultation draft of NPPG 3, which was published on 4 March, is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19850).Responses …

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any inconsistencies in the operation of planning guidelines by local authorities, in particular with regard to decisions on housing developments in rural villages.

Answer · Iain Gray: When taking a planning decision, it is up to the planning authority to interpret National Planning Policy Guidelines (NPPGs) in the light of local circumstances. The planning authority must assess the weight to be afforded to NPPGs, development plan policies …

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Office has any policy with regard to pursuing claims against schools whose badges potentially breach heraldic law and the Lyon Court's rulings.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has no involvement in the enforcement of heraldic law. Offences in connection with that body of law are prosecuted before the Court of the Lord Lyon by the Procurator Fiscal to that Court who is not (despite his …

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to press reports on 10 March 2002 that the Lord Lyon may pursue claims against schools whose badges have a heraldic content which has not been matriculated or registered with the Lord Lyon.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I understand that the Sunday Herald have accepted that their report of this matter was inaccurate and they agreed to publish a letter from the Court of the Lord Lyon in a subsequent edition. I understand, too, that the Lord Lyon has written to you to e…

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it (a) has given in each of the past two years and (b) plans to give to the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has supported the Scottish Youth Parliament, both financially and with advice as necessary. The Youth Parliament first applied for grant under the Further Education (Approved Associations) (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1989 for financial…

8 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will lodge a motion for consideration for debate in the Parliament on the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Timetabling of parliamentary business is a matter for the Parliamentary Bureau and selection of motions for debate is a matter for the Presiding Officer.The Executive hopes to bring forward a debate on youth policy after the Easter recess. The Scottish You…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to further and higher education institutions in regard to investment on the money market.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: None. The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Councils allocate public funds to further and higher education institutions, on the condition that they are used for the purposes for which they are granted.

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the new Teacher Induction Scheme are planned to remove the barrier to access to the scheme for students at Scottish institutions who are funded by English education authorities but who wish to teach in Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The eligibility criteria for the Teacher Induction Scheme has been developed to include all students studying in Scotland who are in publicly funded places.No barrier to access to the scheme exists for those students, studying at Scottish institutions, who…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made to allow entry into the new Teacher Induction Scheme for those students who are undergoing teacher training in Scotland but whose fees paid are by non-Scottish agencies.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The eligibility criteria for the Teacher Induction Scheme has been developed to include all those students studying in Scotland who are in publicly funded places.

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the General Teaching Council for Scotland with regard to recognition of the English Quality Teacher Status qualification.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive Education Department has been instrumental in the establishment of a sub group of the General Teaching Council 5 Nations Group, which brings together the General Teaching Councils in Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Irelan…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to education authorities with regard to applications for teaching posts by those who hold the English Quality Teacher Status qualification.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Education authorities must check that all teachers employed in publicly funded schools in Scotland are registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Qualified Teacher Status does not give automatic acceptance to the GTCS register of those …

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will decide on the suitability for employment as teachers in Scotland of those who hold the English Quality Teacher Status qualification.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: All teachers who have not trained in Scotland who wish to teach here must seek admission to the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) register of persons entitled to teach in Scotland.I have asked Matthew MacIver, Chief Executive of the GTCS to resp…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding funding from (a) the Scottish Museums Council and (b) individual museums.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The Scottish Executive has awarded an increase in funding of £850,000 over the three years 2001-02 to 2003-04 to the Scottish Museums Council. The Scottish Museums Council has made a bid to the Executive for additional funding for ICT development to enable th…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied in the awarding of special grants from the Strategic Change Fund to industrial museums.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The National Cultural Strategy committed the Executive to initiate a national audit of collections in museums and galleries, beginning with the industrial museums. Resources of £250,000 were made available for the audit and an interim report was published in …

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the final report on the National Audit of Museums will be published.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The Scottish Museums Councils are responsible for publishing the final report of the National Audit of museum and gallery collections, buildings and services. We expect the report will be published in the summer.

6 Mar 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the average length of time is for which an intern from the United States of America waits for a security pass, broken down by the political party of the members to whom they are assigned.

Answer · David Steel: In order to minimise the overall time taken, the vetting process normally starts before interns are assigned to party groups and a formal application for a security pass received. There are currently 12 USA interns working in the Parliament, of whom nine have…

6 Mar 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the reasons are for delay in providing security clearance and security passes for interns from the United States of America currently working for SNP members.

Answer · David Steel: As part of the Parliament's security vetting policy, checks are carried out with the relevant foreign authorities on all applicants who are foreign nationals or who have lived abroad for a period during the previous five years. Under normal circumstances, the…

6 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Gaelic policy is reversing the decline in the number of Gaelic speakers.

Answer · Mike Watson: The Executive's Gaelic policy includes a substantial programme of support for the Gaelic language. This provides specific grants for education authorities to enable them to respond to parents' requests for Gaelic-medium education for their children.

4 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the legally responsible employer is of the four fingerprint experts currently under suspension from the Scottish Criminal Record Office following investigations into the Shirley McKie case.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Civilian staff employed by the Scottish Criminal Record Office are employees of Strathclyde Joint Police Board and are subject to their terms and conditions of employment.

4 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation exercises are currently under way; what consultation exercises remain to be launched during 2002, and what plans it has to publish policy proposals and vision and strategy papers between 31 December 2002 and 1 May 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of current consultation exercises can be found on the Scottish Executive website. Decisions about the publication of further consultations and policy documents are taken by ministers on an on-going basis.

4 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it is making to ensure that government resources are not used for party political purposes in the run up to the May 2003 Scottish Parliament elections.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Government resources should never be used for party political purposes and detailed guidance on the role and conduct of Scottish Executive civil servants during the Scottish Parliament election campaign will be issued to Scottish Executive staff when the Parl…

4 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that no vision and strategy papers and detailed and outline policy proposals on devolved topics will be issued between 31 December 2002 and 1 May 2003 except in circumstances where any such documents have been fully agreed by all parties represented in the Parliamen…

Answer · Jack McConnell: No. However, detailed guidance on the role and conduct of Scottish Executive civil servants during the 2003 Scottish parliamentary elections, will be issued to Scottish Executive staff when the Parliament is dissolved. That guidance will be published.

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it would expect a local authority to undertake when it is considering retrospectively altering conditions attached to a planning consent in favour of a developer and to the detriment of local businesses or local communities.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23495 today, regarding the different procedures for amending planning permissions and the circumstances in which they apply.The procedures in relation to sections 33 and 42 of the Town and Country Plan…

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are to regulate any circumstances in which a local authority may retrospectively alter conditions attached to a planning consent in favour of a developer.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Section 33 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (the 1997 act) allows a planning authority to grant planning permission for development carried out, without complying with some condition attached to the original planning permission. Where a pl…